5 Essentials When Starting a Business Blog

Creating a blog is the hot thing to do these days. But what if you already have a business, and you simply want to create a blog as a supplement to your current venture? Maybe you want to use it as a way to document your progress, or perhaps use it as a way to attract more customers and support.

Whatever your reason, it’s a good idea to set up a blog for your business. Here are 5 tips for getting started…

1. Choose the best layout

When starting up your business blog, it’s important to choose a layout that best suits your niche. There are plenty of FREE templates to choose from, but I recommend paying $25-100 for the RIGHT theme and get a really solid layout that you can fall in love with.

This is your baby and you will be spending a lot of time growing it. So choose a look that you love.

Now, this isn’t to say that once you choose a layout you cannot change it, but it’s best to have a solid layout that you like from the beginning.

You can use a simple Optimize Press blog theme like we use here at Dominate Social, or you can use a more complex theme, like the ones over at ThemeForest.net. It’s really up to you…

Via CatholicTechTalk.com

2. Make it mobile

This is a no-brainer. With more and more online traffic being fed in from smart phones, no website or blog can possibly keep up if it is not mobile friendly. You need to make sure your site is NOT ONLY mobile friendly, but mobile suited, meaning it fits well on smart phones and loads quickly.

Trust me, you’ll miss out on a lot of easy traffic and eyeballs if you don’t take the time to build a mobile friendly site.

Via DigitalBloggers.com

3. Add multiple opt-in forms

One thing your going to want when you create your blog is a way to collect email subscribers. If you have not already started building your email list, your a dummie. No but seriously, consider setting up an account with AWeber and learning the ins and outs of email marketing.

Your email list will be the life blood of all online business, so even if your business is not primarily online, you’ll want to have multiple places on your blog where people can submit their emails for you to contact them at your wish.

Via StellarSeo.com

4. Learn simple SEO

I’m not saying you have to be an expert in SEO, but if you are going to run a blog, and have any hopes of creating long-term traffic flow, it’s a good idea to have some SEO set up properly. Or at least hire someone to do this for you if you have the resources to do so.

Do some more reading up on the subject. It does not have to be complicated but you do need to do something for the SEO of your new blog.

Via WPSocial.com

5. Use Social Sharing Buttons

This is important. Most blog themes have social sharing already placed within’ them, but if not, take steps to get social buttons plugged throughout the website. Not only should you have social buttons plugged throughout the entire website, but there should be share buttons implanted along side each blog post, so people can choose to share it with their social networks.

Don’t make people work hard to share your content with all their friends. Make it easy and convenient for them to click a button and send you lots of bonus traffic 🙂

These are great tips. I have all but one implemented on my site. I have a plugin set up and ready to go for opt in subscribers but I have yet to activate it. I’m really torn about whether to go ahead with it or not because as a consumer and customer, I’m really annoyed by pop-up email collectors. I think if your content is great, people will share it, without needing to subscribe to filling their inbox further.
Sway me! Tell me why it’s SO imperative to collect their emails. Why will having their emails be the lifeblood of my business?
Can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Alex Hamm
3 years ago

Thanks for the question. The reason collecting emails is so important is because you need to have a way to reach to potential customers on YOUR time. When you want to get a message across, you have their email to message them, rather than waiting for them to come back. It’s also another medium to share your content. Keeps you front of mind.

Great basics to start with, blogging can be both fun and challenging at the same time which is why so many entrepreneurs love it. I recommend blogging to 90% of the clients who I consult with when it comes to online marketing, it has a bigger impact on SEO than many small business owners realize.

Alex Hamm
3 years ago

It is fantastic for building relationships and providing amazing value